Eric Clapton sits in w/Allman …
March 20th, 2009Eric Clapton sits in w/Allman Brothers Band to run through 6 Derek & the Dominos classics including “Layla” & Hendrix’s “Little Wing”!
Countdown to BIG Bowery saturd…
March 19th, 2009Countdown to BIG Bowery saturday in NYC: Morrissey @ Bowery Ballroom, NJ show was amazing! Cut Copy @ Terminal 5, insane dance fun!
Clem Snide – The Bowery Ballroom – March 18, 2009
March 19th, 2009
Eef Barzelay (Photo: Getty Images)
“Clem Snide is back!” proclaimed front man Eef Barzelay. And, heck, why not? In an age of reunion tours and prepackaged nostalgia, the timing seemed ripe for this band (in stripped-down trio form) to retake the stage at The Bowery Ballroom on a balmy pre-spring Wednesday.
They held court like they’d never stopped at all. Barzelay was in expert form all night, leading the band through new and old material plus previous stuff that had been re-engineered to sound new. While I’d considered loading up the iPod with Clem Snide a week in advance to prepare, I thought better of it, because the songs and words are best when they come at you fresh, with each lyric a surprise.
Live is where it matters: I could feel the emotion in every stretched metaphor and cultural allusion. But I had forgotten about the music’s ragged, prickly edge that comes out onstage and how the band crackles with twang and grit. Highlights included the reworked versions of “Something Beautiful,” which had an even gnarlier edge than when I’d heard it last, and the Dylanesque take on “No One’s More Happy Than You.”
The set closed with a majestic “I Love the Unknown.” Barzelay returned for an encore with two solo tunes that made me realize why it’s got to be Clem Snide and not just him onstage with a guitar. It was good, but when drums and bass returned, the music came to full life again. Then two horn players joined in for the last two numbers, and the energy hit a well-timed high before the night closed out. —A. Stein
The Courteeners – Mercury Lounge – March 17, 2009
March 18th, 2009
With a simple “Hey, New York, good evening,” the Courteeners launched into a quick, energetic set last night at the Mercury Lounge. While the room was a fairly even male-female split, the ladies remained the vocal majority throughout—drunk, perhaps, on a combination of St. Patrick’s Day revelry and singer-guitarist Liam Fray’s smooth voice and considerable charm. Although they haven’t even played together for three full years, the Courteeners have a surprisingly polished sound.
The band, in the playful, creative space between releasing its debut album, St. Jude, and readying the next one, played to its strengths, much to the delight of the adoring crowd. Audience members sang along excitedly—and, at times, did all of the singing. And on songs like “Tear Me Apart” (a new one) and “Not Nineteen Forever,” enthusiastic concertgoers pogoed up and down happily. But it was the last song, a cover of fellow Mancunian band James’ “Tomorrow” that really whipped people into a frenzy. As the set came to a close, the warm room was filled with sweaty, smiling faces. And from the back of the room, a girl remarked, “It smells like English people in here.”
That English smell is sure to continue as these four lads from Manchester open for (noted Courteeners fan) Morrissey at The Bowery Ballroom on Saturday, March 21st, Webster Hall on Tuesday, March 25th and Carnegie Hall on Thursday, March 26th. —R. Zizmor
The Courteeners
March 17th, 2009The Courteeners, a guitar-rock quartet from Manchester, England, on tour to promote their debut album, St. Jude, hit the Mercury Lounge tonight. Come celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with them and us. Here, they play “That Kiss.”
(Video from Transmission, 2008)
Modest Mouse – Terminal 5 – March 15, 2009
March 16th, 2009
Photos courtesy of Michael Jurick | music.jurick.net
Fab Faux – Terminal 5 – March 14, 2009
March 16th, 2009
If you love the Beatles, it’s a pretty safe bet you’ll love the Fab Faux too. This supremely talented group of Fabs includes Late Show with David Letterman bassist Will Lee (vocals and bass), soon-to-be Tonight Show guitarist Jimmy Vivino (vocals, guitar and keys), in-demand Rich Pagano (vocals and drums), accomplished songwriter Frank Agnello (vocals and guitars) and multi-instrumentalist Jack Petruzzelli (vocals, keys and guitars).
In a show billed “Black & White and in Colour,” the music was just that. The first set leaned heavily on the Beatles’ earlier catalog, while the second set—with a stage makeover featuring an array of balloons and lingering smoke (and even some costume changes: specifically, Vivino looked like a psychedelic pimp)—highlighted some of the Beatles’ later, more colorful work, aided by the three-person Creme Tangerine Strings and the four-piece Hogshead Horns.
The Fab Faux put no effort into looking like the Beatles, but as the band members take turns behind the microphone (and even the drum kit), they stay loyal to the Beatles’ sound—special effects and all. But every once in a while, they stretch out the songs, finding little pockets of music to jam together on songs like “Rain” (one of the Beatles’ finest B-sides, which just missed the cut for Revolver), “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” (with Vivino ripping Eric Clapton’s epic guitar solos) and “Oh! Darling” (highlighted by Petruzzelli’s evocative, raspy growl).
The animated Lee put it best when he said, “We’re here for the same reason you are: We love the Beatles.” And it shows. You can catch Jimmy Vivino one last time before he moves to L.A. at the Jimmy Vivino Farewell Show at The Bowery Ballroom on Saturday, April 4th. —R. Zizmor
Explosions In The Sky tix onsa…
March 14th, 2009Explosions In The Sky tix onsale for Summerstage June 30 celebrating the bands 10th Anniv as a band!!!
The Soundtrack of Our Lives – March 12, 2009 – Bowery Ballroom
March 13th, 2009
The Soundtrack of Our Lives
March 13th, 2009
(Photograph by Fredrik Wennerlund)
Ebbot Lundberg is a natural born rock-and-roller, and he has never met a room, big or small, he couldn’t fill. Thursday night at The Bowery Ballroom, the burly, bearded Swede, attired in his trademark black caftan and scarf, led his five-piece band through a tight 90-minute set that leaned heavily on the band’s excellent new double album, Communion. Back in 2001, Soundtrack seemed poised for major U.S. stardom with the catchy pop-rock anthem “Sister Surround” and a surprise Grammy nomination. The new record goes for a deeper and ultimately more satisfying exploration of classic 1960s rock genres. But one thing that hasn’t changed is the band’s aggressive, thoroughly entertaining live show.
It would be hard to steal a stage from Lundberg—it’d be foolish to even try, really—but guitarist Mattias Bärjed gave him a run for his money, as he always does. Dressed in a gaudy red satin shirt and matching jeans, Bärjed scissor-kicked around the stage and very nearly beheaded Lundberg with wild guitar slinging. He also won major style points for a thick mustache that looked as if it had been ripped straight off the face of cheesy ’80s icon John Oates. The band ended the main set with a version of “Sister Surround” that had the crowd pumping its fists in the air, and then came back for the lovely new acoustic number “The Passover,” which sent people out into the night with a simple, inspirational message that seemed to sink in: “Don’t worry, stop hurry / Get on with your life, it’s not too late.” —Joey Pisarcik
Alberta Cross
March 12th, 2009
In the second opening slot last night at a sold-out Bowery Ballroom, Alberta Cross, with their brooding brand of rock and roll, continued to prove why they are a band not to miss when they come to your town. Playing a mix of tracks from their self-produced EP, The Thief & the Heartbreaker—released in 2007—and newer songs, possibly destined for their debut album, to be released later this year, Alberta Cross firmly took hold of the room for their entire set.
When Swede Petter Ericson Stakee (guitar and vocals) and East Londoner Terry Wolfers (bass) met in a bar several years ago, they bonded over their love of the blues, country and ’70s rock. And that certainly comes across in several of their slow-building songs. While Alberta Cross exhibit shades of guitar-rock bands like Neil Young and Crazy Horse, and some ethereal bits of early Pink Floyd, their music is a breath of fresh air. Similar, in a sense, to when the Band was putting out music that didn’t sound like any of their contemporaries. But it wasn’t all guitar rock. On a gospel-tinged tune the guitars were replaced with an organ, piano and the audience enthusiastically clapping along.
The band seemed as pleased with the crowd as the crowd was pleased with them. Petter took time to address the audience, pointing out “the guy who traveled the farthest to be here. From South America!” And before the last song, he said, “If you want a track to dance to, this is probably it.” No doubt, he was right. Alberta Cross opens for Gomez at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Friday, April 3rd. Do your best to check them out. —R. Zizmor
Five Questions with…Tim Kasher
March 11th, 2009
Tim Kasher at The Bowery Ballroom (Photo: R. Zizmor)
In support of their just-released sixth album, Mama, I’m Swollen, Cursive rocked two sold-out dates at Music Hall of Williamsburg and The Bowery Ballroom. A few hours before last night’s show, singer-guitarist Tim Kasher was kind enough to sit down with The House List to answer five questions.
Which New York City musician—past or present— would you most like to play with?
David Byrne. It’s one of the best concerts I’ve ever seen. I saw him in Vegas, and that might seem like it kind of takes away from it. It was at the House of Blues, which might seem like it would take away from it. (laughs) But he was just amazing.
What’s the toughest thing about playing in New York City?
Probably the toughest thing about playing here is the pressure you put on yourself. ’Cause you’re always trying to remind yourself that it’s just another show. It’s not as if these people in the crowd—New Yorkers—are so different than in Boise, Idaho. They want to have a good time, and they want to take it in…. I think a lot of people see it like the New York shows are the ones where you really get graded.
Do you ever experience fear onstage?
I can be prone to being really self-conscious—feeling like I’m losing the crowd. And that drives me crazy, because you really shouldn’t be bothering yourself with that. Now I’ll probably do that tonight.
Do you feel like you could ever live in New York City?
Yeah, I love it. I want to move here. I was supposed to a couple years ago and I ended up, on a whim, moving out to L.A. instead. And it’s not that I would compare the two, but I’m just kind of trying to make my way here.
Do you have to be depressed to write a sad song? Do you have to be in love to write a love song? Is a song better if it really happened to you?
I’m trying to become a good enough writer that I don’t have to do that. But I think some of the best writers—the technically great writers—would probably stop at that and be like, “Why would I need to be depressed to write something depressing?” But I still feel like I do have to lean on that. You don’t want it to be some kind of affectation. Maybe with music it’s better that it does come from an honest place. And maybe when you get into other forms of writing then it’s a little more lenient. —R. Zizmor
The Soundtrack of Our Lives
March 10th, 2009
Swedish rockers the Soundtrack of Our Lives return to New York City to promote their newest album, the 24-track Communion, this week with shows at Music Hall of Williamsburg tomorrow night, March 11th, and at The Bowery Ballroom on Thursday night, March 12th. Do yourself a favor and check these guys out. And in the meantime, check out what singer Ebbot Lundberg had to say to New York magazine about the new album, his first visit to our fair city and Sweden’s finances.
The Airborne Toxic Event
March 9th, 2009We’re so excited to have the Airborne Toxic Event playing the Bowery Ballroom this Wednesday, March 11th. You should be, too. Check them out here playing “Sometime Around Midnight.”
(Video from Late Show with David Letterman, 01/16/09)
Levon Helm @ Beacon was amazin…
March 6th, 2009Levon Helm @ Beacon was amazing last night. “I Shall Be Released” bonus encore!
